VINEYARD | The San Remo Vineyard stretches 5.24 acres just off Rich Hurst Road in the Russian River Valley. Found high on a rolling ridge, this east facing vineyard enjoys the cooler early morning sun. The soil at San Remo is typical of the Goldridge series, made up of decomposed granite offering excellent drainage. All three Dijon clones are planted, with 667 making up the majority of the acreage. In the vineyard we double cane prune to help ensure even ripening.

In 2006 we harvested an average of two tons per acre from San Remo. High winds through the vineyard reduce growth on the leaf canopy helping to reduce the vigor and yield of the vineyard. With Pinot Noir, lower yields are ideal as fewer clusters per vine help concentrate flavors in the grapes.

VINTAGE | The 2006 vintage was truly a year won in the vineyard. Early rains in January helped established good ground water for later in the year. A heat spike that lasted a record 10 days in July had growers nervous about sunburn on the ripening grapes. Then came the rains, which sent us rushing to leaf the vines, allowing sunshine and air to reach the clusters. Botrytis was a threat for a time, but late October saw a change in the weather and a change in our expectations for the vintage. The rains stopped and the weather warmed, giving grapes the time on the vines needed to reach full maturation. Overall, it was a late harvest of excellent quality fruit.